1. What is Science & How does it work?
Use the links below to complete your interactive notes:
Intro to Science Notes
What is Science & How does it work?

2. What is Science? An organized way of using evidence Helps us
Investigate the world
Explain what we don’t understand
Make useful predictions
Different from other subjects
Natural world
Data is collected/organized to find patterns
Evidence is examined to test explanations

3. Data based on observation
Quantitative Data
Measurement expressed by a # or Qty.
Length, Width, Height, Mass, Volume
Qualitative
Descriptive
Immeasurable
Inference
Logical Explanation
Based on Data/Observation
Hypothesis
Explanation for Observations
Must be testable w/ controlled experiment
Background info. & research

4. Make 1 Quantitative & 1 Qualitative Observation
Make 1 Inference
How could you make it testable? (Make it a hypothesis)

5. Designing an Experiment
Question
Identify a problem
Example: Where does life come from?
Hypothesis
An educated guess that answers the questions
Must be testable (controlled experiment)
Example: Life came from non-living things (this theory is called Spontaneous Generation: IT HAS BEEN PROVEN FALSE!!!)

6. Not all hypotheses are valid
Not all hypotheses are valid. Von Helmont’s recipe for mice was definitely incorrect!

7. Setting up a Controlled Experiment
Manipulated /Independent Variable
Plotted on the x-axis
The 1 and only variable you are changing
Responding Variable/ Dependent Variable
Plotted on the y-axis
What you are testing for as a result of the experiment
All other variables must be controlled
Kept the same
Ex: Temperature, Light, Material

9. List the independent or manipulated variable.
List the dependent or responding variable.
List 2 controls.

10. Redi’s Experiment Hypothesis: Flies Produce Maggots
Manipulated/Independent Variable
covering
Responding/Dependent Variable
If maggots appear
Controls:
Jars
Meat
Temp.
Location
Time

12. Needham’s Experiment
Inspired by Leeuwenhoek’s microscope research on “tiny animals”
Sealed and heated a bottle of “gravy”
Let sit out (unsealed)
Tiny organisms appeared
Supported Spontaneous Generation….but his research was flawed.
WHY???

13. Spallanzani’s Experiment
Boiled 2 Containers of gravy
Sealed 1/ Left 1 open
What do you think happened?
His results REFUTED spontaneous generation!

14. Pasteur’s Experiment Invented special curve neck bottle Air can get in
Free of microorganisms for 1 year
Broke neck= microorganisms appeared
Spontaneous generation refuted or proven false once and for all!!!

15. How a Theory Develops
Based on Data
Record and analyze results
Data can be visualized to detect patterns
Conclusion
Data supports or refutes hypothesis
Repeat
Check validity of Data
Results consistent
Theories only develop over time once the results have been tested and supported by numerous scientists!!!
Ex.:Biogenesis (Life comes from living things)